Chinese people love to drink tea, not only for its refreshing taste but also as a healthy lifestyle habit developed over the years. But do you know which component in tea benefits both body and mind? Today, let's talk about the treasure of tea leaves – tea polyphenols.
What are Tea Polyphenols?
Chinese Name: Tea Polyphenols
Definition: The general term for polyphenolic substances in tea
Includes: Flavanols, anthocyanins, flavones, flavonols, and phenolic acids, etc.
Key Component: Flavanols (catechins), accounting for approximately 70% of total polyphenol content
Features: One of the main components that form the color, aroma, and taste of tea, and one of the key health-beneficial components in tea.
How Much Do You Know About the Content of Tea Polyphenols?
The content of tea polyphenols is not the same across all types of tea. The deeper the fermentation degree of tea leaves, the more polyphenols are converted into other substances, thus reducing the content of tea polyphenols.
Green Tea, which is unfermented, has a relatively rich content of tea polyphenols. Data shows that the content of tea polyphenols in green tea is 144% higher than that in black tea of the same quality, and about 59% higher than that in Oolong Tea of the same quality.
In addition to the type, the quality of tea leaves can also affect the content of tea polyphenols. For example, when making tea, the younger the leaves, the better the quality. This is because young leaves grow at the top and are closest to sunlight, allowing them to undergo photosynthesis fully, synthesizing more phenolic substances.
What Are the Benefits of Tea Polyphenols?
① Anti-Aging
Tea polyphenols have strong antioxidant properties and physiological activity, acting as scavengers of free radicals harmful to the human body. They can inhibit the activity of lipoxygenase and lipid peroxidation in mitochondria, thereby having an anti-aging effect. Studies show that 1 milligram of tea polyphenols has the ability to clear excessive free radicals harmful to the human body equivalent to 9 micrograms of superoxide dismutase (SOD), far exceeding other similar substances. The antioxidant activity of tea polyphenols is significantly stronger than that of vitamin E by 18 times, and it has a synergistic effect with vitamins C and E. Many cosmetics contain tea extracts, precisely utilizing the anti-aging effects of tea polyphenols.
② Alleviating Allergies
Polyphenols can strongly inhibit the release of histamine. Experiments have shown that the antiallergic and anti-skin allergy effects of tea polyphenols are 2 to 10 times stronger than those of commonly used antihistamines, but tea cannot be directly used as a medication to treat allergies.
③ Detoxification
Tea polyphenols have a strong adsorption effect on heavy metals, forming complexes that precipitate, helping to reduce the toxic effects of heavy metals on the human body. In addition, tea polyphenols have liver-protective and diuretic effects, thus effectively counteracting the toxicity of alkaloid poisoning.
④ Aid Digestion
Caffeine in tea polyphenols can increase the secretion of gastric juice, aiding digestion and enhancing the ability to break down fat. The saying “long-term consumption makes one slim” is based on this principle.
⑤ Tooth Protection
Tea polyphenolic compounds can kill lactobacillus and other cariogenic bacteria present in dental crevices, inhibiting the activity of glucose polymerase, effectively interrupting the process of tooth decay. Residual protein foods in dental crevices become a substrate for the proliferation of putrefactive bacteria, and tea polyphenols can kill these bacteria.
⑥ Beautifying the Skin
Tea polyphenols are water-soluble substances. Washing your face with them can remove facial oiliness, tighten pores, and have disinfectant, antibacterial, anti-aging, and sun-protection effects against ultraviolet radiation. However, women who love beauty should note that before using tea water to wash their face, they should test whether they are allergic, and the effects may vary from person to person.
Which Diseases Can Benefit from Tea Polyphenols?
① Hypertension
Tea polyphenols have a strong inhibitory effect on the activity of converting enzymes, so they can help lower or maintain stable blood pressure.
② Blood Clots
Tea polyphenols protect and repair red blood cell deformability and easily form complexes with thrombin, preventing fibrinogen from turning into fibrin. Additionally, tea polyphenols can effectively inhibit the rise in cholesterol levels in plasma and the liver, promoting the excretion of lipids and bile acids, thus effectively preventing the formation of blood clots.
③ Asthma
Tea polyphenols can inhibit the allergic reactions caused by active factors such as antibodies, adrenaline, and enzymes, providing significant therapeutic effects for asthma and other allergic diseases.
④ Constipation
As the saying goes: “A Cup of morning tea boosts your energy.” Tea polyphenols stimulate gastrointestinal reactions and accelerate intestinal peristalsis, achieving the effect of treating constipation.
⑤ Diarrhea
Tea polyphenols improve the overall immune function of the body, inhibiting and killing various harmful pathogens causing diarrhea, and relieving the tension in the digestive tract, thus achieving an anti-inflammatory and diarrhea-stopping effect.
⑥ Scurvy
Tea polyphenols can promote the absorption of vitamin C, effectively preventing and treating scurvy. Much of the health benefits of Drinking Tea come from the action of tea polyphenols.
Although tea polyphenols have many beneficial effects, tea is not a medicine and cannot directly replace medications. For specific diseases, follow medical advice and take medications as prescribed. In daily life, drinking more tea can help maintain health and well-being, bringing many benefits. A healthy life starts with a cup of tea.
If there are any copyright issues, please contact us to delete the content.
